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Goodmorning Ma and Pa!


Or should I say King and Queen! Driving with these two is like driving with royalty because they are constantly waving from their seat to those they know. We cannot step outside of the house without Ma or Pa warmly sending a hello. They know their community very well.

This morning Marcela and I woke up to make Ma and Pa breakfast. We fixed them an egg scramble with toast and fresh avocado. We then received a wonderful visit from Althea, their oldest daughter. Althea brought her three children and we enjoyed a relaxing conversation, still in our pajamas. Soon Marcela’s eyes got heavy and she was asleep next to me. Althea had to be on her way and Ma woke Marcela and told her to take a nap upstairs on our bed. So up we went, and took an early morning nap. We woke up before noon and got dressed to visit Kim, Ma and Pa’s youngest daughter. Monkey is the nickname of the youngest grandson, who is a wild maniac with an energy that makes you exhausted simply watching him. When leaving, their next door neighbor was out in the front yard and I said, “Hello” but was greeted by a silent glare. In the car, Ma explained that the neighborhood community where Kim lives was previously a white neighborhood and now many of the original landowners are opposed to permit coloreds to live with them so she was upset to see me inside of Kim's house. The prejudice here is still so evident and it is so sad to witness because the colored people are some of the nicest I have ever encountered. Generous, hospitable, hilarious, and always filling you with good food, this community surrounds anyone with a welcoming love that is admirable. Seeing this woman's hostility helped to further my understanding of how the past continues to play a dramatic role today. Ma has carried on to tell us bits and pieces of how much she and Pa both continue to struggle as a colored person, post-apartheid and with eager ears I listen, soaking up the details that help me to truly understand the "Rainbow Nation" of South Africa. God has created His children with a richness in diversity, may you honor Him with this gift!
All my love,
Gennavieve

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